Michael A. Gonzales
@magonzales.bsky.social
Born and raised in Harlem, Michael A. Gonzales has been anointed "the hip-hop Chester Himes" by Miles Marshall Lewis. He's published true-crime essays at CrimeReads, and short stories in Ellery Queen, Rock & a Hard Place and Vautrin magazine.
My favorite zine was called Motorbooty. It was out of Detroit and introduced me to so much music including Sun Ra and the MC5.
December 1, 2025 at 9:33 PM
My favorite zine was called Motorbooty. It was out of Detroit and introduced me to so much music including Sun Ra and the MC5.
One of those books I read a million years back when I was trying to teach myself to be a music journalist.
December 1, 2025 at 7:10 PM
One of those books I read a million years back when I was trying to teach myself to be a music journalist.
Finally read, and enjoyed, Tar Baby by Toni Morrison. Next stop will be Sula.
--portrait by Tim Okamura
--portrait by Tim Okamura
November 30, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Finally read, and enjoyed, Tar Baby by Toni Morrison. Next stop will be Sula.
--portrait by Tim Okamura
--portrait by Tim Okamura
The Making of a Writer (2003)
Indeed, I had been trying to look like a writer since I was a teenager. This is me at 40 on the penthouse of the Hudson Hotel in NYC.
Indeed, I had been trying to look like a writer since I was a teenager. This is me at 40 on the penthouse of the Hudson Hotel in NYC.
November 29, 2025 at 3:23 PM
The Making of a Writer (2003)
Indeed, I had been trying to look like a writer since I was a teenager. This is me at 40 on the penthouse of the Hudson Hotel in NYC.
Indeed, I had been trying to look like a writer since I was a teenager. This is me at 40 on the penthouse of the Hudson Hotel in NYC.
You might be cool, but you ain't Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickerson cool.
November 29, 2025 at 2:43 AM
You might be cool, but you ain't Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickerson cool.
Reading Tar Baby by Toni Morrison. Never expected her to name drop Frank Frazetta when describing the beauty of a landscape.
November 28, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Reading Tar Baby by Toni Morrison. Never expected her to name drop Frank Frazetta when describing the beauty of a landscape.
November 26, 2025 at 11:56 PM
From the Soul: The Life and Music of Jesse Powell @evergreenreview.com
--A cool story about a hot player
--A cool story about a hot player
November 25, 2025 at 3:36 PM
From the Soul: The Life and Music of Jesse Powell @evergreenreview.com
--A cool story about a hot player
--A cool story about a hot player
Scribner's Bookstore memories...
November 17, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Scribner's Bookstore memories...
A short lived Best Of series spearheaded by essayist Gerald Early.
November 16, 2025 at 4:14 PM
A short lived Best Of series spearheaded by essayist Gerald Early.
Tom Wilson is best known for his work with The Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan and Sun Ra, but he also wrote liner notes for his friends. In 1962 he penned the notes for Jesse Powell's soul-jazz album It's Party Time. More about Powell in the current evergreenreview.com
@evergreenreview.bsky.social
@evergreenreview.bsky.social
November 13, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Tom Wilson is best known for his work with The Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan and Sun Ra, but he also wrote liner notes for his friends. In 1962 he penned the notes for Jesse Powell's soul-jazz album It's Party Time. More about Powell in the current evergreenreview.com
@evergreenreview.bsky.social
@evergreenreview.bsky.social
Rich kid cosplaying as a trailer park kid changes name to Kid Rock and morphs into a hip-hop kid who somehow turns a love for the Allman Bros and Run-DMC into a weird career that scored him one hit, one trophy wife and a delusional mind that keeps telling him he's relevant & showering is optional.
November 11, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Rich kid cosplaying as a trailer park kid changes name to Kid Rock and morphs into a hip-hop kid who somehow turns a love for the Allman Bros and Run-DMC into a weird career that scored him one hit, one trophy wife and a delusional mind that keeps telling him he's relevant & showering is optional.
They've come a long way since I wrote this story about them 30 years ago.
November 9, 2025 at 5:34 PM
They've come a long way since I wrote this story about them 30 years ago.
From the Soul: The Life and Music of Jesse Powell
--on music, family and a candy store on Sugar Hill
evergreenreview.com
#jazz #harlem @jazzagemusic.bsky.social @tedgioia.bsky.social @natechinen.bsky.social @hearingthingsco.bsky.social @thewiremagazine.bsky.social @burningambulance.bsky.social
--on music, family and a candy store on Sugar Hill
evergreenreview.com
#jazz #harlem @jazzagemusic.bsky.social @tedgioia.bsky.social @natechinen.bsky.social @hearingthingsco.bsky.social @thewiremagazine.bsky.social @burningambulance.bsky.social
November 9, 2025 at 2:05 AM
From the Soul: The Life and Music of Jesse Powell
--on music, family and a candy store on Sugar Hill
evergreenreview.com
#jazz #harlem @jazzagemusic.bsky.social @tedgioia.bsky.social @natechinen.bsky.social @hearingthingsco.bsky.social @thewiremagazine.bsky.social @burningambulance.bsky.social
--on music, family and a candy store on Sugar Hill
evergreenreview.com
#jazz #harlem @jazzagemusic.bsky.social @tedgioia.bsky.social @natechinen.bsky.social @hearingthingsco.bsky.social @thewiremagazine.bsky.social @burningambulance.bsky.social
Seven days from today the Muscle Shoals: Low Rhythm Rising exhibition will open at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum. I wrote an essay on the great Wilson Pickett for the catalog, concentrating on his "Hey Jude" collaboration with Duane Allman. I tried to make it wicked.
November 8, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Seven days from today the Muscle Shoals: Low Rhythm Rising exhibition will open at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum. I wrote an essay on the great Wilson Pickett for the catalog, concentrating on his "Hey Jude" collaboration with Duane Allman. I tried to make it wicked.
Opening on November 7th, 1986, I went to see Sid & Nancy opening weekend at the 57th Street Playhouse. The theater was around the corner from Miss Brooks, the java spot I wrote about in the @oldstermag.bsky.social essay "Coffee Shop Days."
November 7, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Opening on November 7th, 1986, I went to see Sid & Nancy opening weekend at the 57th Street Playhouse. The theater was around the corner from Miss Brooks, the java spot I wrote about in the @oldstermag.bsky.social essay "Coffee Shop Days."
Back in the day when the NYC Indian Museum was on 155th Street and Broadway, mom took me and baby brother there often. Judging by the suit it must've been Easter Sunday.
November 3, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Back in the day when the NYC Indian Museum was on 155th Street and Broadway, mom took me and baby brother there often. Judging by the suit it must've been Easter Sunday.
Thanks to The Sunday Long Read for including my Evergreen Review essay "From the Soul: The Life & Music of Jesse Powell" in their music issue. The tale of an underrated sax man who once played with jazz greats and later opened a sweet shop on Sugar Hill was one I longed to write. Evergreenreview.com
November 2, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Thanks to The Sunday Long Read for including my Evergreen Review essay "From the Soul: The Life & Music of Jesse Powell" in their music issue. The tale of an underrated sax man who once played with jazz greats and later opened a sweet shop on Sugar Hill was one I longed to write. Evergreenreview.com
I fell in love with saxophone sounds after hearing Tom Scott blow on the Taxi Driver score. When that movie dropped in 1977, my favorite candy store in Harlem was owned by jazz/pop sax man Jesse Powell, who used to be down with Count Basie. Read my essay about him at evergreenreview.com #jazz
October 31, 2025 at 11:58 PM
I fell in love with saxophone sounds after hearing Tom Scott blow on the Taxi Driver score. When that movie dropped in 1977, my favorite candy store in Harlem was owned by jazz/pop sax man Jesse Powell, who used to be down with Count Basie. Read my essay about him at evergreenreview.com #jazz
I saw Night of the Living Dead when I was six years old. That movie scared me to death, but as I got older I realized that I was as frightened by the zombies, but I was more disturbed by the Black hero Ben (Duane Jones) being murdered by the laughing white cops.
October 31, 2025 at 3:18 PM
I saw Night of the Living Dead when I was six years old. That movie scared me to death, but as I got older I realized that I was as frightened by the zombies, but I was more disturbed by the Black hero Ben (Duane Jones) being murdered by the laughing white cops.
I consider my mom's longtime hairdresser Jackie to be one of my aunts as well as most of her lifelong friends.
October 30, 2025 at 3:49 PM
I consider my mom's longtime hairdresser Jackie to be one of my aunts as well as most of her lifelong friends.
When I was writing my @evergreenreview.bsky.social essay on saxophonist Jesse Powell, I thought about the jazz comics of artist Howard Chaykin. Indeed, the artist has inspired my jazz leanings for years and I wanted the story to be literary homage to Chaykin's work. evergreenreview.com
October 30, 2025 at 12:45 PM
When I was writing my @evergreenreview.bsky.social essay on saxophonist Jesse Powell, I thought about the jazz comics of artist Howard Chaykin. Indeed, the artist has inspired my jazz leanings for years and I wanted the story to be literary homage to Chaykin's work. evergreenreview.com
"From the Soul: The Life & Music of Jesse Powell" The story of a jazz saxophonist who once played with Count Basie, but traded it all for family and a candy store in Harlem.
evergreenreview.com @andrewmale.bsky.social @markanthonyneal.bsky.social @mayascade.bsky.social
@mattzollerseitz.bsky.social
evergreenreview.com @andrewmale.bsky.social @markanthonyneal.bsky.social @mayascade.bsky.social
@mattzollerseitz.bsky.social
October 29, 2025 at 2:13 AM
"From the Soul: The Life & Music of Jesse Powell" The story of a jazz saxophonist who once played with Count Basie, but traded it all for family and a candy store in Harlem.
evergreenreview.com @andrewmale.bsky.social @markanthonyneal.bsky.social @mayascade.bsky.social
@mattzollerseitz.bsky.social
evergreenreview.com @andrewmale.bsky.social @markanthonyneal.bsky.social @mayascade.bsky.social
@mattzollerseitz.bsky.social